The Mercury News

Spacey returns to the big screen.

- By Cicero Estrella cestrella@ bayareanew­sgroup.com

Kevin Spacey returns to the big screen Aug. 17 with the release of “Billionair­e Boys Club,” marking his first film to be released since sexual assault allegation­s derailed Spacey’s once-impeccable Hollywood career, according to the Daily News.

What, Christophe­r Plummer wasn’t available for reshoots?

The film’s distributo­r acknowledg­ed the Oscarwinni­ng actor’s scandals, but said it took into considerat­ion the hundreds of cast and crew members who worked on “Boys Club” when it decided to release the film. ”We hope these distressin­g allegation­s pertaining to one person’s behavior — that were not publicly known when the film was made almost 2½ years ago — do not tarnish the release,” Vertical Entertainm­ent said.

“We don’t condone sexual harassment on any level and we fully support victims of it. At the same time, this is neither an easy nor insensitiv­e decision to release this film in theaters, but we believe in giving the cast, as well as hundreds of crew members who worked hard on the film, the chance to see their final product reach audiences.”

In October, actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of sexual misconduct from decades ago. Rapp said he was 14 and Spacey 26 in 1986 when an inebriated Spacey climbed on top of him and held him down following a party at Spacey’s apartment. Rapp says he was able break free from Spacey and flee from the apartment. Other allegation­s of sexual assault and misconduct followed, and Spacey was summarily fired from his lead role on Netflix’s “House of Cards.”

“Billionair­e Boys Club” is a crime drama based on a true story of a Ponzi scheme concocted by rich, young Los Angeles youths in the 1980s.

It also stars Ansel Elgort (who starred with Spacey in 2017’s (“Baby Driver”), Taron Egerton, Emma Roberts and Billie Lourd, and was directed by James Cox.

“In the end, we hope audiences make up their own minds as to the reprehensi­ble allegation­s of one person’s past, but not at the expense of the entire cast and crew present on this film,” Vertical Entertainm­ent said.

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 ?? THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Actor Kevin Spacey returns to the big screen in August with the releaase of the film “Billionair­e Boys Club.”
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Actor Kevin Spacey returns to the big screen in August with the releaase of the film “Billionair­e Boys Club.”

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